Chronic Back Pain for Years

Thanks Jim, I've hear about them and wondered if it helped. Mine is mostly cervical disc degeneration, some nerve damage, and some lumbar problems. I didn't know if it worked just for one specific nerve or an area. Thanks, Jennifer

@painless

I take morphine and Cymbalta, and sometimes Percocet and orphenadrine, a muscle relaxer,Ibuprofen, Tylenol, medical marijuana edible, sleep, naps. The first two are the only ones I take regularly. Plus Wellbutrin, Clonazepam, claritin, Benadryl and all the vitamins. I have Lidocaine cream to numb my feet, and have tried without success, Capzasin. Having a psychiatric service dog helps a lot.

And to think I never took a pill until I was 39. I was never sick, and only missed 3 days of school because of measles.

Jim

@painless

I take Norco 10-325 and it helps some but mostly if I stay off my feet. I can take up to 6 per day but seldom do so. I also take Neurontin which works better for me for nerve pain than Lyrica did. I recently began using Cannibinoids and while I am not sure how helpful they are for the pain, they take away a bit of the anxiety that I have from the pain and some of that "woe is me" feeling. I know they work because I stopped taking them for a while and realized they were helping a lot with my attitude about my pain. So I began taking them again. It takes a while to get built up in your system but once it does it is helpful. I also use the Hemp Oil Tincture under the tongue. This is quite helpful as it works quicker than the capsules. Again, mostly helpful for attitude about your pain which for me is a big thing. I use the Iron Horse Organics version of it because I can get it reliably locally or online through Fitness Doctors and it is all legal (I am in Texas and I am not holding my breath for legal marijuana here anytime soon). My pain doctor is aware of it and he is very open to it. I try my best to minimize stress which is not always easy but I find that I hurt more when I am in a stressful situation. My pain doctor who I have been going to for over 10 years has never offered me anything stronger than Norco and for that I am glad. I also purchased a Quell stimulator which goes around your leg and it works very well for me because a lot of my pain is sciatic down the leg. It is covered by insurance so I gave it a shot. I did a trial with spinal cord stimulators when they first came out years ago and did not like it. But I know they have come a long way since and my pain doctor thinks I should try again with the Burst Stimulator. I am considering it particularly in light of the good comments about the Burst on this chat.. I find pain extremely isolating because it is difficult to plan things since I don't know how I am going to feel on any given day/night. I live alone and spend a lot of time with my dog. I can go many days without talking to anyone and sometimes that is great. Sometimes not so much. I am open to any suggestions that anyone else has but hope that this can provide some help to you or others who are suffering.

Injections, therapy etc have not helped me. Has anyone used accupuncture?

@jenapower

Jen, you would talk with a neurologist to find out if the stimulator would help you.

Jim

Hi, My name is Eve. I too have had back problems for years. I have had two surgeries, Kypoplastie, pain stimulator and injections. None worked for me. I don't want to rely on pain medications either. I have degeneration and 5 compression fractures. If I don't do anything, I don't hurt to much, but if I try to do anything like walking much or using my arms, then I really hurt. I am now trying water exercise. Hope it will help. I really feel for anyone who has back problems. One time when I was waking up from surgery, my girls told me I kept telling them to 'Take care of your back' over and over again! I hope that someday they will come up with something to help us! Thanks for letting me vent.

I wish I could be of some helop to you. Back pain is awful. I suffer 24/7 and had spinal fusions and both hips replaced. My back has too many problems. Susrgery would never help. Injections and therapy have not helped. I stay away from all heavy drugs. Ibuprofen (2 three times a day). Sometimes it makes it bearable. I will not try a stimulator, so I am limited as to what to do.

@bblinder

I understand not wanting to be over medicated. I know that I have been at times, especially when I was just starting a new medication. I take a low dose of MScontin, which is morphine in a pill form. I was taking 90mg a day, but in June, I had a spinal cord stimulator implant, and I have had more than 80% pain relief. So, I've been able to reduce the morphine to just 30mg, which doesn't mean I'm pain free, but I can handle it. I stopped taking the morphine awhile ago, and realized how much it was helping. I was happy to see that I could taper off it without any problems. I don't want to be addicted to it. But. ...I will continue taking it as long as it helps with the pain.

The drug epidemic has made us all scared, which is too bad, because the pain medications, when they're prescribed and used responsibly, are of great benefit.

In her final weeks of life, my mother-in-law was afraid to take the morphine, because she was afraid of being addicted to it. We had to reassure her that needing it for pain relief wasn't the same as addiction. It was intended to reduce her pain, not to give her a high.

Our bodies are wonderful things. When they become less than wonderful, as they often do at my age, they need a variety of supports. Eye drops, arthritis creams, skin cream, spot removers, protein supplements, and the list goes on. I never needed any pills until I turned 50. But after that - !!!

Pain control or management is a reality of life after a certain age, or for certain problems, and I don't have a problem with taking what I need, to be able to keep going.

But that's just me. We're all different, aren't we? Why not have a conversation with the pain specialist about how you feel. He might be able to recommend something that he and you are both comfortable with.

Jim

You sound like a very wise man, Jim. I agree that what works for one, might not work for another. I'm glad that the pain stimulator is working for you. I wish it had for me. I pray and with God's help, I will get through this!

@For Back pain readers I just read a good selection about spinal injections by Dr. Aranda (pain advocate) in the Pain News Network (PNN on Facebook) that I received Oct. 2. This maybe of interest for those considering spinal injections, I recommend reading the comments section where several comments are from those who have had these injections. Good Luck, 19lin.